Perennial Hardiness Zone

Rare Heirloom Flowers

Shimmering sprays of silvery pink flowers open in late fall from dark mauve incurved buds. The leaves turn dark maroon as the weather turns cold, contrasting with the soft pastel blooms. A rare selection for extending the flowering season in your garden.

Once called Golden Feather, this rare heirloom has striking chartreuse scalloped leaves capped with masses of small daisy flowers. The earthy, mossy scented foliage is in the group once called "Nose Twisters". I, for one, love its scent.

Also called 'Dr. Livingston', this variety has been found to contain almost 100 times as much citronella as the publicized citrosa. Take advantage of its insect repelling properties and place a few pots on the patio. The scent is strong lemony-rose; the flowers are lavender with purple spots. Listed in an 1871 American garden catalog.

Lucida means shining; when these rich green shiny leaves are bruised a sweet anise scent fills the air. A winner in our trials, it looked perfect all summer and fall, not bothered by weather extremes or insects. Clusters of petite yellow blooms all season. Introduced in 1798, it once was known as Sweet-Scented Chili Marigold, but today is more commanly known as Mexican Tarragon.

The many petals of ‘Venus’ are like the ruffled feathers of a bird, overlapping in close association, and proudly displaying their satin petals of lemon-yellow. A tall growing pungently scented variety good as a cut flower for wreaths and celebrations of another summer.

The first double flowered marigold was offered in 1905 by Burpee, giants in the marigold breeding business. ‘Alaska’ debuted in 1961 and was a pale primrose yellow, a petticoat of a flower with layers and layers of wavy edged petals. A favorite marigold for 20 years, it has almost disappeared from commerce. Tall, with dark green aromatic foliage, it grows easily in fertile, well-drained soils and blooms summer to frost.